Jimmy Lai and the Plight of Hong Kong Christians
By Josiah Hasbrouck, Juicy Ecumenism.
Amidst wars in Ukraine and Gaza, China’s activities in Hong Kong have not been as much in the spotlight of global news in recent months. During a recent Hudson Institute event, however, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Religious Freedom Nina Shea discussed the state of freedoms in Hong Kong with William McGurn of the Wall Street Journal and Frances Hui of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. The conversation especially focused on Hong Kong businessman Jimmy Lai, imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). McGurn, a personal friend of Lai, described the businessman’s life and imprisonment; Hui, an activist originally from Hong Kong, provided context on the CCP’s activities in Hong Kong.
Shea began the discussion with an overview of recent Chinese activities in Hong Kong, noting the erosion of the freedoms of speech, assembly, association, religion, and due process in Hong Kong through the CCP’s 2020 National Security Law. Lai was charged and imprisoned under this law, now facing a court with a 100 percent conviction rate. Hui later described the law as “a very vaguely written law that applies to the whole civil society,” leading to censorship and rights violations.
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